Issue 2003 7 Anybody’s Concerns II: Gender and the Body Edited by Prof. Dr. Beate Neumeier ISSN 1613-1878 Editor About Prof. Dr. Beate Neumeier Gender forum is an online, peer reviewed academic University of Cologne journal dedicated to the discussion of gender issues. As English Department an electronic journal, gender forum offers a free-of- Albertus-Magnus-Platz charge platform for the discussion of gender-related D-50923 Köln/Cologne topics in the fields of literary and cultural production, Germany media and the arts as well as politics, the natural sciences, medicine, the law, religion and philosophy. Tel +49-(0)221-470 2284 Inaugurated by Prof. Dr. Beate Neumeier in 2002, the Fax +49-(0)221-470 6725 quarterly issues of the journal have focused on a email: [email protected] multitude of questions from different theoretical perspectives of feminist criticism, queer theory, and masculinity studies. gender forum also includes reviews Editorial Office and occasionally interviews, fictional pieces and poetry Laura-Marie Schnitzler, MA with a gender studies angle. Sarah Youssef, MA Christian Zeitz (General Assistant, Reviews) Opinions expressed in articles published in gender forum are those of individual authors and not necessarily Tel.: +49-(0)221-470 3030/3035 endorsed by the editors of gender forum. email: [email protected] Submissions Editorial Board Target articles should conform to current MLA Style (8th Prof. Dr. Mita Banerjee, edition) and should be between 5,000 and 8,000 words in Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (Germany) length. 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Fall Issue: abstracts (April 1), completed papers (July 1) Early Career Researchers Special Issue: abstracts (May 1), completed papers (August 1) Winter Issue: abstracts (July 1), completed papers (October 1) Detailed Table Of Contents Editorial 1 ajaykumar: The "Feminine Principle" in Butoh: A Methodology that Spans History, Cultures, and Disciplines? or Developing a "Feminine" Body-Space on a Sunday? 2 Konstanze Kutzbach: AnyBody's Simulacra: A Theoretical Approach to (Post- Gender) Identity 13 Tina Wald, Johanna Hauke and Chrissula Kalpaki: "I Want to Create a European-Jewish-British Theatre Where Women Have a New Role": An Interview with Julia Pascal 32 Isabel Karremann (Review): David M. Halperin: How to Do the History of Homosexuality 51 Peta Mayer (Review): Annamarie Jagose: Inconsequence: Lesbian Representation and the Logic of Sexual Sequence 57 Sean O’Toole (Review): Nancy Ordover: American Eugenics: Race, Queer Anatomy, and the Science of Nationalism 61 Astrid Recker (Review): The Right to Speak. Wally Lamb and the Women of York Correctional Institution: Couldn't Keep It To Myself: Testimonies from Our Imprisoned Sisters 64 Tina Wald (Review): Coming off Rage? Angry Young Women at the Royal Court in Lucy Prebble's The Sugar Syndrome, Gary Mitchell's Loyal Women, and Stella Feehily's Duck 75 Michelena Wandor: Barlines 81 List of Contributors 104 Editorial 1 Anybody's Concerns II continues the exploration of artistic, medical and cultural practices and discourses regarding gendered bodies initiated in our recent issue Anybody's Concerns. 1 The "Feminine Principle" in Butoh: A Methodology that Spans History, Cultures, and Disciplines? or Developing a "Feminine" Body-Space on a Sunday? By ajaykumar, Goldsmiths College, University of London, England Abstract: I am concerned with gendered body-space, and whether the aspiration for a notion such as 'feminine principle' is or can remain valuable in con-temporary-space. In an earlier article, a tantric interpretation of the dance work Kagemi, choreographed by Ushio Amagatsu, I introduced the notion of supposed inter-action between 'male and female,' known and defined in various ways in Japan as in-yo-do, in China as yin-yang, in Tibet as yab-yum. In South Asia the notion of male and female body-space, although found in Taoism, Buddhism and Hinduism, is central to the way of Tantra. Unlike notions of female body-space found in Japan, or China, in South Asia, in Tantra the notion of the 'feminine principle' considered the female aspect as active and the male aspect as passive. I am reflecting on whether the positing of ancient notions of the 'feminine principle' are effective in con-temporary-space; whether a significant re-conception of body-space is possible, and for whom; and if the pursuit of such an aspiration may need a jettisoning of the historic insights altogether. 1 This article is a further examination of a subject area investigated in my review "Butoh and Transcending the Identity of Sex" in Gender Debat|tl|ed. I am concerned with gendered body-space, and whether the aspiration for a notion such as "feminine principle" is or can remain valuable in con-temporary-space. In the earlier article I introduced the notion of supposed inter-action between "male and female," known and defined in various ways in Japan as in-yo-do, in China as yin-yang, in Tibet as yab-yum. In India the notion of male and female body-space, although found in both Buddhism and Hinduism, is central to the way of Tantra, a practice or way of being that, according to some , predates both the conception of Buddhism and Hinduism and yet permeates both these ontological systems in different ways as well as Jainism. Although according to George Feuerstein, it made its appearance in 500 C.E., and its influence reached maturation circa 1000 C.E. (X). This I believe corresponds to an apogee of South Asian civilisation, embodied in the rock cut edifices at Ellora. The work and practice at Ellora aspired for an integrative dynamic of body-space-time- nature-art- ontology-technology-science. Unlike notions of female body-space found in Japan, or China, in India, in Tantra the notion of the "feminine principle" views the "female aspect" as active and the "male aspect" as passive. As previously stated: If there is anything universal about Amagatsu's work, it certainly lies in the importance of an ongoing and profound investigation of the "feminine principle" […] Furthermore, Amagatsu's work could be interpreted as synthesising a number of concepts: the relationship between the human being and nature, pertinent to a "post- humanist" society; the disruption of conventional perceptions of gender; and the 2 ongoing subversion of Butoh, even with itself. (ajaykumar online) Beyond this extract, I do not intend to summarise or refer to the first article, as it is so readily accessible on this journal site. Some readers who are unfamiliar with Butoh and the subject area may find it useful to read that article as a precursor to this one. I am reflecting on whether the positing of ancient notions of the "feminine principle" are effective in con- temporary-space; whether significant re-conception of body-space is possible, and for whom; and if the pursuit of such an aspiration may need a jettisoning of the historic insights all together. This theme extends beyond performance. In the case of Butoh, it could be argued that it is an art practice and an ontological process synthetical of "meditation" in its profound sense. In Tantra the artefact essentially exists only to enable that ontological process. It is of greater significance that in India the artist has historically been regarded as an adept in and that the act of artistic creation was pursued with all the dedication and single-mindedness of a spiritual practitioner. Indic Art was seen traditionally as a form of Yoga. A "tantric" reading of Sankai Juku could be provocative, in the context of Tantra being a philosophy or un- philosophy of the body. Scholars and teachers oft quote from the Vishva-Sara-Tantra: what is not here is nowhere. 2 In the terms of a body-space or a body-space-time, the statement by Kayo Mikami, a former acolyte of Hijikata, that "Butoh is now, always now" is ontologically significant. How is the now? How is the significance of Butoh in the now? How is the significance of the now in Butoh? Some argue that Sankai Juku is not Butoh. How is? A well known Tao saying is "the minute you name a thing you miss the mark." Pina Bausch is often quoted as saying "I am not interested in how the body moves but what moves the body." How moves the body- space? 3 Sankai Juku on the whole avoids "naming" its work in terms of explaining it.